Algae bubbles how do i get rid of them

[montanalonewolf2002]

I was given a seventy five gallon show tank refusium, metal halide lights, the gentlemen that I got it from did not have time to work one it, so when I got it, it was covered in algae bubbles where I could not see the rock. Brought the tank home picked all the algae bubbles off scrubbed the rock an set the tank up, two months later the algae bubbles are coming back, if any information or advice please let me know.

[charlie]

what kind of algae bubbles are you talking about? have you searched valonia, aka bubble algae?

[lostcreekreefer]

sounds like bubble algae (per Charlie Valonia). Emerald crabs eat that stuff...per Reeftopia: Emerald Crab - Mithrax sculptus - Emerald Crabs feed upon many types of algae including bubble algae which is what makes this particular crab so popular. They also feed on detritus. These are very reef safe and do not harm other reef inhabitants....
well pretty much, they did sometimes go after SPS corals (all of them) but did not do visible damage to mine. They are cool to watch & really come out when the lights go off.

[charlie]

Wouldn't it be nice if he posted back in his own thread?????

[lostcreekreefer]

eh?

[charlie]

eh?

You heard me.

[montanalonewolf2002]

Thank you for your info lostcreekreefer i did get a emerald crab sorry it tolk so long my wife got into a wreck and she pregnant . Charlie you are a ^^$#%^&^&$$% this site is for ppl to get help with and we cant all be as knowleable as you so dont make a smart remark i needed some other info from other ppl becouse every one says something diffrent you are the reason i dont go to any meeting

[charlie]

Well sir, you are entitled to your opinion, and I respect that. I have never called you any names John, but if you would like, I would just as soon take it up in a PM, OK?

kinda funny tho when you consider all the freebies you got way back when?????

[charlie]

I hope things are well with your wife and the baby John.

[charlie]

Wouldn't it be nice if he posted back in his own thread?????

I would like to apologize for this statement, it was a useless statement, and I am really sorry if I am stopping you from coming to the meetings, that is not my intention at all. I hope you rethink your position as I have rethought mine.

[montanalonewolf2002]

Charlie i am sorry to. I apologize for calling you in a disrespect maner. i know i would have not been that way if i was not so upset with what happend with my wife . bolth are fine thank you . my problem is i am not smart when it comes to knowing the latin names or exactlly what every thing is but all my tanks are doing well. when i have asked you questions you have made me feel like im not worth your time. so i stoped bothering you. i dont wont to feel this way i would like to learn more from you all.

[lostcreekreefer]

..... my problem is i am not smart when it comes to knowing the latin names or exactlly what every thing is but all my tanks are doing well ....... i would like to learn more from you all.

mtlonewolf- I hear you on the Latin names, there is such a variety of them for all of the fish and invertebrates we deal with in these aquariums. The common names are great, but not everybody calls a given fish or coral the same thing, so what a person is talking about may not be clear all the time. Latin names are very specific, which is nice. As far as learning from us all...sometime we have to put personalities aside (that goes for work, friends, family) and listen to what is being said (maybe not so much who)! Just show up & have a beer (or three) works for me! The conversation is always interesting....usually not on topic, either.

[lostcreekreefer]

also... I did get a Reeftopia order last week, partially because I have the Bubble Algae showing up again. I had TONS of it about a year ago, I obtained 6 emerald crabs from Reeftopia and they took care of it. Stuff like that never REALLY goes away though, so it has been coming back. So I got 6 more of them for a 270 gallon tank. They are happily working on the Bubble Algae. Just part of life I guess...probably also boils down to a nutrient source being available for the algae, too, but that's another story!
KevinD

[DevonM]

Just part of life I guess...probably also boils down to a nutrient source being available for the algae, too, but that's another story!
KevinD

I agree with you here Kevin, I've had probably 4 different instances where I noticed some bubble algae in my system. I probably have 5-7 emerald crabs working at it and life goes on. I'm starting to realize that existence of everything is probably OK in small quantities.... except glass anemones which I am not too fond of.

Thanks for pulling this post together guys.

[tehfeer]

I had some bubble algae a while back but I spoke with my friend in calif and he said he just popped his bubble algae and it never came back. I did the same and it has not returned. I know everyone says "DO NOT POP IT REMOVE IT IF YOU CAN" but hey it seemed to work for him and I haven't seen it return!

[twisted]

i believe in the dont pop thing. but, think about this...emerald crabs have pinchers, they dont shove the whole bubble in their mouths.........pincher.....pop!......not saying this to be a smarta$$ but, am i right?

[charlie]

Good thought twisty. Personally, I have never really worried about bubble algae, and if I buy emerald crabs, I never see them after I put them in the tank anyways, something about too many hiding places????????

Again, I think that some bubble algae is pretty, and adds to the look in general, but that is just my opinion and we know what people think about that.

[twisted]

i have 3 ems in my tank and i see them every so often. i dont mind a little bubble....i look at it like this. all these algaes are present in the ocean. a little bit is good for the tank. it does help with trates and other stuff. i control it and even have different spots in my tank that i let a little hair grow and green algae.....i dont want my lawnmower goby or tangs to not have a place to graze. and you are right. a little bubble algae looks nice in some spots

[kamar]

I was wondering, since I've got some bubble algae in my tank as well, and had considered adding just one emerald crab to see if it would help control it (knowing that it may never really go away), what size fish can coexist with an emerald. See, I've got small fish (royal gramma, flame angel and a clown) and I don't want to put an emerald in there only to have it catch my gramma while he's sleeping. I can continue to pop and syphon them out with water changes, but it would be nice to have some help. I have a feeling that emerald crabs are safe only with fish it can't catch. Am I right?

Hmmm . . . maybe I'll just start popping them - good point there. I kinda wondered about that myself.

[twisted]

im not advocating popping them. im sure the crab has a technique that allows him to suck in most of the spores. it was just something that occurred to me...i have ems and have never seen them hurt a thing. im sure if they are hungry, they will sieze the chance but i cant see them going hungry in a good tank. ems do a great job at keeping it under control. i would get a few of them